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Notes on the Jerusalem Council Acts 15Ish Acts 15 Notes on the Jerusalem Council Acts 15ish Acts 15 as the “centerpiece” of Acts • Cornelius episode: Jerusalem leaders “praised God” (11:18) • Syrian Antioch missionaries “began to speak to Greeks also” (11:20): Barnabas sent from Jerusalem and “saw the evidence of the grace of God and rejoiced” (11:23) • First missionary journey in which Sergius Paulus, the proconsul of Cyprus believed, and Paul and Barnabas turned to the Gentiles: The Church in Antioch celebrates that the door of faith opened to the Gentiles (14:27) The trickle of Gentile converts starting to become a torrent / the Gospel of Christ is not merely a reform movement in Judaism, but Good News for the whole world / the Church of Christ is not a Jewish sect, but an international family of God From here on, Peter is out of the picture, Paul is the focus as the one who brings the Gospel beyond Asia Acts 15:1-6 – The “Gentile” problem The question of the relationship between Acts 15 and Galatians 2 o Does Acts 15 = Gal. 2:1-10 or Acts 11:27-30 = Gal 2:10? o Acts 15:1-4 = Gal. 2:11-16? (but the council hasn’t yet happened) Circumcision connected to salvation, not just a sign of the covenant! At issue: • Gentiles must be circumcised and obey the Law of Moses • Is circumcision a condition to salvation? • Is justification by faith alone or faith plus works? Peter in Antioch (following Gal. 2:11-14), won over by the “circumcision” crowd, despite his experience with Cornelius?! Acts 15:7-11 – Peter speaks before the Council: God initiated Gentile Salvation Peter comes to realization (again) that God initiated Gentile salvation: God chose him to bring the Gospel to the Gentiles (i.e. Cornelius and his household), gave them the Holy Spirit, and purified their hearts. God made no distinction between Jews and Gentiles – inward reality of faith overrules outward reality of circumcision and obedience to Mosaic Law Compare Acts 15:11 and Gal. 2:16 – both stress justification by grace through faith – in other words, by this time, Peter and Paul are on the same page despite Gal. 2:11 Acts 15:12 – Barnabas and Paul speak before the Council: Signs and Wonders from God Confirm Gentile ministry Luke doesn’t record their words, but narratively, we just lived their testimony from Acts 13- 14 Notes on the Jerusalem Council Acts 15ish Barnabas given greater prominence (named first) in the Council? Probably because of his previous Jerusalem connections Their stress is on the signs and wonders God gave as validation that the Gentile ministry was blessed by God Acts 15:13-21 – James speaks and makes a conclusion on the issue: The Prophets Agree James concludes that Peter (Simeon, his Hebrew name) and Barnabas and Paul’s explanations are supported by the prophetic word in the Old Testament How God visited the Gentiles (cf. Gen. 21:1, Exo. 4:31, Luke 1:68) Amos 9:11-12 quoted according to the Septuagint The restoration of David’s tent (the Temple The Church) and Gentile inclusion among God’s people What are the abstentions about? o Ceremonial laws – external purity (cf. Romans 14 and 1 Cor. 8): things polluted by idols, sexual immorality, animals that have been strangled and blood o The Laws of Moses (Lev. 17-18) are known in every city, read in their synagogues o Freedom of action for the sake of others vs. compulsion and necessity Acts 15:22-29 – The Council’s Letter to Gentile Believers A letter from “brothers” to “brothers” – another signal of unity and fellowship “Some people from us” – that is, from Jerusalem, but also claiming to speak for the apostles and elders “although we gave them no instructions” – distances the opinions of the “circumcision” part from those of James and the rest “having come to one accord” – stresses that in the end the decisions made by the Jerusalem Council were not simply decisions of power forced on others, but agreed on by all Acts 15:30-35 – Paul, Barnabas, Judas and Silas bring the letter to Syrian Antioch Gathering the people together, they read the letter The Antiochene Christians rejoice because of the encouragement the letter brought Judas and Silas (prophets) remained for some time and encouraged them Verse 34 – is it missing in your Bible? Acts 15:36-41 – Beginnings of Paul’s Second Missionary Journey with Silas Proposal: to return to the places Paul and Barnabas traveled before The problem of John Mark (Acts 13:13) solved by splitting up Paul (with Silas) and Barnabas (with John) .
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